My husband and I (mid-30's, active) have booked a trip to Bali to escape the long, Canadian winter.
After some hassles with getting the dates set, we have the following booked:
Feb 24-Feb 25 YYZ to Bali
Feb 25-28 Staying at the Elysian in Seminyak. We like the fact that this is close to places like Ku De Ta, which is the kind of 'nightlife' we are looking for.
Feb 28-March 2: planning a 3 day Island tour with Bali Eco Cycling tour company. Highlights: Monkey forest, Coffee plantation, hot mineral springs near Lovina, Snorkeling and Water temple.
March 2-6: Still in Bali and need some suggestions. Ubud? Lombok? Other islands?
March 6-8: Staying at Amaya Spa and Resort
March 5 is apparently Nyepi, a day of silence observed by all Bali inhabitants including tourists. We are not so keen on staying inside for a whole day, but think the ceremonies leading up to it could be fascinating.
Shall we stay in Ubud and watch the festivities and hang out in the resort all March 5?
Or we could go to Lombok or the Gili isalnds for a couple of days to not be locked in, but is there much to do there? Also would we miss out on the festivities/ceremonies leading up to Nyepi?
We can't sit on a beach for too long, and we are already going snorkeling at least twice. So, we need "Stuff" to keep us occupied during the 4 days, including a day of silence.
Hotel/Villa suggestion kindly accepted- no budget limit- we could spend ~$300/night more or less depending on the quality and activities to keep us busy.

I would highly recommend you stay in or near Ubud for part of your stay.

I've spent time on Lombok - very quiet, laid back, some pretty beaches - but it doesn't sound like what you are looking for.

I've also spent time on Java - Borobudor, Prambanam, Dieng Plateau, Jogja and Solo - and highly recommend it. But, frankly, You don't have enough time this trip. Save it for next trip.

Relax and enjoy Bali.

Having spent 5 days in Central Java just visiting the places Kathie mentioned I can tell you it is worth 3-4 days. It is very different than anything you will see in Bali. You can visit villages that are like Indonesia was 50 years ago. We are returning in October for 2 days and then going on to East Java it is that interesting. Don't get me wrong you will love Bali. The flight to Jogya is only 1 hour and cost $200 RT. I had an excellent guide if you decide to do go. wiedyantara.hotmasil.com He is more costly than your average guide but he is highly educated and in 10 hour touring days he or his partner Rachmad can make the region come alive.
I agree with Kathie, Lombok is really laid back based on a 2 day visit 5-6 years ago.

Bali is a fairly geographically compact and culturally homogenous so if you want to keep moving for two weeks you may have to accept some repeats, or venture off to another island.

Some other active ideas:
Climb a mountain, take a surfing lesson, go river rafting, explore a cave, take a birding watching excursion, ride horses on the beach, play tennis, join a yoga class. And afterwards. . . have a massage.

Your bike tour appears to be taking you to North and East Bali. You could see what area you like best and go back for a longer stay.

I haven’t been in Bali at Nyepi for some time, but when I was it was a wonderful experience. Despite there being no transportation, people didn’t stay inside. Shops, restaurants and work places are closed, but people do venture out on foot there’s a festive and happy community atmosphere.

I wasn’t able to find Amaya Spa and Resort. Do you mean the Maya? If yes, then that would probably cover you for Ubud, though you could extend a few more days. If not, then definitely spend at least 5 days in the Ubud area -- either in town or in the surrounding area.

Central Java would be a good choice for a few non-Bali days. Nyepi is still a national holiday everywhere in Indonesia, though Javanese will not celebrate it as they do in Bali. The area is great for culture and for nature.

Ordinarily I'd suggest the Bromo area of East Java for adventure travel, but there's been a lot of volcanic activity in the area. You might want to look into that further.

Sorry- Ayana is the spa we are planning on staying for the last two days- kind of a splurge there on the Jimbaran peninsula. But, if we already have too much laid-back beach time, maybe we could head out to Central Java, I will look into that. It is starting to look like Ubud would have plenty to keep us busy (tennis and yoga!) for those 4 days.

Yes, definitely plan to spend 4-5 days in Ubud. If you can stay in town you can walk to restaurants and performance venues. If you stay out of town you get the spectacular view and ambience. Whichever you chose, you end up visiting the other.

I'd suggest you look at Como Shambhala which is both beautiful and wellness focused. It's a bit pricy, but maybe you could economize somewhere else.

Other ideas in Ubud area (there are so many choices)
In Ubud: Uma Ubud, Komeneka
Outside of Ubud: Kayumanis, KupuKupu Barong, Alila, Samaya

The Ayana used to be the Ritz Carlton. -- a big, self-contained resort with a wide range of accomodations and several restaurants. The location is fairly isolated, on a cliff overlooking the sea. The beach is a pretty little cove down (and up) a long flight of stairs. Jimbaran is becoming more developed but it defintely doesn't have the choice of restaurants, spas, shops that Seminyak has.

If you do decide to go to Central Java, I'd eliminate the Ayana and extend Ubud. If you could fly out of Java without returning to Bali, you'd save some travel time.

Other restaurants that I'd recommend in Seminyak: La Lucciola, Sardine, Sarong, Hu'u Bar, Sip. La Lucciola is wonderful all day -- try it for breakfast or lunch.

New itinerary plans to include lots of 'activity' and moving hotels every 2-3 nights. We're fine with that.
Two questions embedded:
1) Is the Ubud Palace dance worthwhile or just touristy?
2) Advice on transportation from Ubud to Jimbaran Bay?

Feb 25-28: Seminyak at the Elysian (@Marmot, thanks for the food suggestions, will check them out!)
Feb 28: Bali Eco Cycling tour- drive up Mt Batur, have breakfast and bike down. Stay in Ubud that night with Ubud Palace 'traditional balinese dance'- Is this worth it?
Mar 1-3: Bali Budaya tour company three day island tour with one night each in Lovina and Amed- temples, bat cave, snorkling, hot springs and dolphin tour.
March 4: Ubud cooking class lined up for Morning
March 4-6: Head down to Ayana (not set on this one yet) or Jimbaran Bay area for 2 nights- if we have to stay indoors all day on the 5th, might as well be on a resort with a private pool. I realize this involves much more driving- any suggestions on taxi service?
March 6-8: Back to Ubud and explore any areas we haven't seen yet, do some Yoga. Good eating of traditional and modern food seems to be on course.
We like to keep moving on trips, and since the driving time between any two places isn't more than 3 hours, we figure it will add to the adventure. Thanks for all your advice on (not) leaving the island.

I like the dancing at Ubud Palace. The troupes change nightly, but they are always good quality. There are also regularly scheduled performances in villages all around Ubud. Your resort will have a listing. Temple ceremonies also feature dancing, though often quite late at night.

You can ask your resort (either the one you're leaving or the one you're going to) to arrange transport for you.

It's about 2 hours from Jimbaran to Ubud. I would worry less about Nyepi in Ubud and do Jimbaran last. Get a resort in Ubud with a pool and spa. The back and forth eats up a lot of time and it's not a particularly scenic drive.